Old Birmingham

[Biosonic]

Seeing as we've had a few pics of Brum from the 70's and early 80's, I thought I'd start a thread on old Birmingham, so we could see what some of our buildings looked like when they were new, and also some of the buildings we've lost over the years.

It is also a good place to discuss 'what might have been...'

I've started with Masons College which stood where the Birmingham Conservatoire is now (I believe). I can't believe they knocked it down :cry:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a264/Biosonic/b52f63a0.jpg

[woodhousen]

i would have loved to have seen this building through the eyes of a 1960's planer....they must have hated it!

[Smileyface]

I think this thread is going to be using a lot of these :cry: and a lot of these :bash: Who's going to dig out the pics of the old library?

[Biosonic]

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a264/Biosonic/8f060a32.jpg

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[Smileyface]

There was an interior shot of the old library knocking around on one of our old threads, it looked absolutely stunning

[Smileyface]

I've always liked The Paragon Hotel in Digbeth, built in 1903

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Birmingham%202/ParagonHotel3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Birmingham%202/ParagonHotel2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Birmingham%202/Paragonhotel1.jpg

[MIDGEBLACKANDWHITE]

The Woodman pub that used to stand at what is now Paradise Circus was a beautiful building, can someone get a piccy? The beautiful detail of the outside..always wished I could have gone in for a pint...Jesus don't it make ya wanna cry!!

[Smileyface]

Don't forget to use your :cry: when using this thread, Midge.

Here's a pic that Potto posted on the skyline thread a couple of weeks back. I'll say it again, look at New Street Station :eek:
http://xs38.xs.to/pics/05292/bham1883.jpg

[MIDGEBLACKANDWHITE]

I actually have a copy of that print in a frame at home..its very beautiful!

[Smileyface]

I actually have a copy of that print in a frame at home..its very beautiful!

I wouldn't mind something like that myself....where did you get it from Midge?

[mk61]

It is a fantastic picture, certainly

[Steve-e-b]

There was an interior shot of the old library knocking around on one of our old threads, it looked absolutely stunning
Is this the one you were thinking of Smileyface?
http://www.truplex.com/personal/ssc/Central%20Library-62.jpg

[Steve-e-b]

Oh, I almost forgot ... :doh: :bash: :cry:

[pirlo_21]

could someone post pictures of the old new street please??

[MarcusValhalla]

Guess this link went with the hacker... http://62.105.110.193/extras/public.bhtml?library=10032 - great source of pics from the 50's/60's

[ROYAL BLUE]

OH MY GOD THOSE PICTURES ARE STUNNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW!

Never seen such a detailed collection.
Its amazing to think that was the brum my family lived and worked in. Ive no doubt my grandfather was in the Dunlop building when those pics were taken.

Although im slightley disapointed there is no more pics of st.andrews or villa park.

Seeing New st. station and the queensway tunnels being constructed, opened my eyes a bit. I can sort of appriciate what the 60's developers were trying to achieve. the bullring, smallbrook Q-way, the rotunda etc etc all look very modern compared to the dirty war torn city surrounding them.

And what happened to smallbrook Q-way. its much lower now then it was in the 60's!?

[woodhousen]

wat were they thinking????

http://62.105.110.193/browse/fullsize/134333-

[ROYAL BLUE]

That they had to replace a partly destroyed 70 year old station with something affordable and modern. oh yeah and also build some low cost housing at the same time. its ok now to look back now and critisize, but back then it was needed.
The city was in a shocking state, and developers used the best most affordable solution.

[Smileyface]

Is this the one you were thinking of Smileyface?
http://www.truplex.com/personal/ssc/Central%20Library-62.jpg

Cheers Steve, yep that's the one :gaah: :cry:

[Biosonic]

could someone post pictures of the old new street please??

But of course....

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a264/Biosonic/bf07e697.jpg

This was taken from roughly where the signal box & red-cage car park is (Brunel St?)

I believe this is the original station with the extension on the right. I think I read somewhere that it had the largest span of any iron structure in the world when it was built :)

I think the new one will hint at this glorious past...

[pirlo_21]

cant wait for the new station to be built its gonna be ace!

[Smileyface]

wat were they thinking????

http://62.105.110.193/browse/fullsize/134333-

That's an amazing if somewhat depressing pic Woody. It took me a couple of seconds to orientate myself what with there being no Sentinals or CCT. Stephenson tower actually looks better then than it does now!
Am I seeing things or has Old Joe in the top left of the pic got scaffolding up it?

[MIDGEBLACKANDWHITE]

I wouldn't mind something like that myself....where did you get it from Midge?
..I've had it for years..I think I got it from the old Tourist Office when it was near WHSmiths. Don't know if they still stock it..it looks great. :)

[Smileyface]

Cheers Midge, I might just get my mate to print a copy off for me and stick it in a frame :)

[bileduct]

The biggest loss wasn't in the sixties though, it was in the thirties IMO. Pugin and Barry only collaborated on two major buildings - one was the Houses of Parliament, the other was Kings Edwards School in New Street, Birmingham.

http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/images/newst/kens1930.jpg

Unfortunately, when the school outgrew the site and moved to Bournebrook, the building was declared obsolete and demolished to make way for the run of the mill office block that stands there now. Some things never change, eh?

[Smileyface]

What a beautiful building. Just imagine that on New Street now :shocked: :shocked:

[bileduct]

What a beautiful building. Just imagine that on New Street now :shocked: :shocked:
Yeah, New Street's still pretty smart, but with this at one end and the Town Hall at the other it must have been amazing. The replacement survived the war too, so if they hadn't knocked it down it would still be there.

There's tiny bit of it left though - they rebuilt a fragment of one of the corridors in the car park at the back of the new school opposite the Barber Institute...

http://tinypic.com/a1728m.jpg

[Biosonic]

There was a similar school: King Edwards Five Ways (at Fiveways) that was relocated to Bartley Green and I think they demolished either for an office block or the island.

And I think Blue Coat school was relocated to Harborne from Colmore Row

[Smileyface]

Woody, would you be able to re host the pic that you posted, grim as it was everyone should get the chance to marvel at the birth of the present day New Street Station :runaway:

[ROYAL BLUE]

A 50's traffic jam:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134415.jpg

A much higher Smallbrook q-way!?
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134387.jpg

M6?
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134371.jpg

Godskithen wasnt quite the same in the 50's
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134356.jpg

St.Andrews
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134343.jpg

Stephonson tower looking tall!!!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134332.jpg

New street
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134325.jpg

ABC television??? before alpha tower
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134329.jpg

Crime being commited
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134179.jpg

[ROYAL BLUE]

More:

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134178.jpg


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134140.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134149.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134175.jpg


Villa Park in the mist (notice no expressway)
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134158.jpg


What would they make of Selfridges i wonder?
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/134105.jpg

[Smileyface]

Those are truly amazing pics RB, thanks for those.

[Soul_13]

In the last photo which one is the building behind the church??

Seeing the photos of the library, I just realize that Birmingham doesn't have a major Business Bouvevard. What they were thinking, the iner road ring must goes around the centre not separated in different parts. The way that the Library designed created a physican barrier to Queensway. I hope the new design to change that, allowing free movement to the back.

[ROYAL BLUE]

theres more pics on that link marcusvalhalla posted on the previous page

[Smileyface]

theres more pics on that link marcusvalhalla posted on the previous page

Oh yeah, I never even noticed taht earlier...durr!! :nuts: Sorry Marcus I don't intentionally ignore your posts :)

[Smileyface]

I've gone through all 38 pages of the site that Marcus linked on the previous page and I must say that it was an hour definitely well spent. Some of the images were amazing. I never knewv that there used to be a power station in Nechells!! This was taken in 1968 and I'm assuming it's roughly where Stab City is now.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/Nechellspowerstation1968.jpg

Aston Church near Villa Park 1968. Nechells power station can be seen in the background :eek:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/AstonChurchNechellsPowerstation1968.jpg

[ROYAL BLUE]

Stunning aint they, thanks Marcus. Yeah i think the power station is now star city. that river (the river tame) is now under the m6

[Smileyface]

Stunning isn't the word....check this out for a pic, these are the flats going up in Newtown 1967 :cool:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/GreatRussellStreetNewtown1967.jpg

Dale End 1960
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/HighStreetDaleEnd1960.jpg

Bradford street 1954. I love the look of the skyline back then :eek:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/BradfordStreetDeritend1954.jpg

[Smileyface]

Aston 1957
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/Aston1957.jpg

That photo above is full of character but rather grim at the same time. The next pics show that not all the buildings torn down during the 50's and 60's weren't without good reason

Anderton Street, Ladywood 1968
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/AndertonStreetLadywood1968.jpg

Clifford Street Newtown 1968
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/CliffordStreetNewtown1968.jpg

Shakespeare Road, Ladywood 1968
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/ShakespeareRoadLadywood1968.jpg

[MarcusValhalla]

I just hope that somewhere someone is saving a similar collection of pictures from the current time - I wonder how the construction pictures of HCT will look in 40 years???

[Smileyface]

I just hope that somewhere someone is saving a similar collection of pictures from the current time - I wonder how the construction pictures of HCT will look in 40 years???

The amount of documentation we have now is probably 1000 fold, probably way more.....I look forward to boring my grandkids with my HCT construction pics :)

[Smileyface]

A collection of BT Tower (or GPO Tower as it was back then) images....the first one is fantastic...the images are from 1967 and 1968 respectively
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/StPaulsGPOTower1967.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/StPaulsChurchGPOTower1968.jpg

as seen from hockley flyover 1968
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/HockleyFlyover1968.jpg

[Martin G]

Fucking amazing pictures everybody! I have a few interesting books about Brum whose covers I will post up here soon - I wonder if any of you have got/come across these books.

On a related note - can you dig up any pics of what the old Bull Ring Market Hall looked like before it was encircled by St Martins Circus Ringway roundabout?

[Smileyface]

Remember the subways near CCT....bloody horrible, here's how they looked in 1960
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/LookingtowardHurststreet1960.jpg

View from Rotunda 1968, look the P&M buidings got its digital clock working....oh the memories :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/Viewfromrotunda1968.jpg

[ROYAL BLUE]

I showed these pics to my folks, even they were stunned.

[Smileyface]

After seeing one of the photo's on here I thought I'd try something :banana:

Hockley Flyover 1968
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/HockleyFlyover1968.jpg


Hockley Flyover 2005
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Birmingham%204/HockleyFlyoverAug7th05.jpg

Hockley Flyover 3005
http://smallmountain.homestead.com/files/1976_Future_city.jpg

[pirlo_21]

3005 LOL!!!!!!

[birminghamculture]

Would'nt M3's rough diamonds look amazing in this picture:yes:

Nice work Smiley :cheers1:

[Steve-e-b]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/StPaulsGPOTower1967.jpg
Blimey, St Pauls has been cleaned up a bit.
Here's a similar picture I took a few weeks ago.
http://www.truplex.com/personal/ssc/StPaulsGPO2005.jpg

[Smileyface]

Blimey it has, well spotted Steve

[Martin G]

I like your current pic of HF Smiley - the telephoto lens is pretty damn effective in bringing the skyline closer. :)

[Smileyface]

I bet you didn't realise it could go 1000 years into the future as well though.....it couldn't find any sign of AC Tower though :(

[Martin G]

AC Ower**? What the dickybird is that?

Related to AC Milan perchance? :ohno:



**since changed to AC Tower, although I've left this misspelling above in just to show everyone what a noodle Smileyface was for missing out the T in the first place! ;)

[Smileyface]

You can edit yours now if you want :)

[Martin G]

There! Done. :D

[Martin G]

And now..... remember this windswept space?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/MartianG/Library2.jpg

[Pobbie]

I love the look of Hockley Flyover. Just straight, no-nonsense. :)

[Smileyface]

I love the look of Hockley Flyover. Just straight, no-nonsense. :)

Which year...you must pick a year! :)

[Smileyface]

And now..... remember this windswept space?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/MartianG/Library2.jpg

Blimey, it looks grim now......No wonder all the adults in Bham have a haunted look about them

[mk61]

Blimey, it looks grim now......No wonder all the adults in Bham have a haunted look about them

Grim now, yes, but sort of cozy in a strange way. Open, I can imagine the winds being funnelled through the open roof. Must have been bloody freezing some days.

[Pobbie]

Which year...you must pick a year! :)
Well, any year will do. But 1968 has some sort of special quality to it.

Fly-overs are regularly slated as eyesores, but in most cases they're the dog's bollocks. :cheers:

[mk61]

Looking at those flyover pics - were trees still being rationed in 1968? - it looks bloody sterile without some vegitation to soften the view.

[brum2003]

Grim now, yes, but sort of cozy in a strange way. Open, I can imagine the winds being funnelled through the open roof. Must have been bloody freezing some days.

i always used to find it inspiring, if a little windswept x the forum is way tackier x

[Smileyface]

Looking at those flyover pics - were trees still being rationed in 1968? - it looks bloody sterile without some vegitation to soften the view.

You're right MK I couldn't quite put my finger on what was missing from those 60's pics of Brum and it's so obvious when you look through them again now.

Auchinleck House 1968
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/AuchinleckHouse1967.jpg

Auchinleck House 2005
http://tinypic.com/a59v9x.jpg

[Martin G]

Any of you folks ever come across these two books (below)??

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/Brumbook1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/Brumbook2.jpg



I bought them back in the early 80s on one of my Brum trips and from them I have scanned some fascinating vintage pics of the city - some showing views you may not have seen before - these were of course from the author's own collection of archives.

Look at these for instance:


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum02.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum3.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum4.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum5.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum6.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum10.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum11.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum12.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum13.jpg

THE OLD BULL RING MARKET!!.... and where St Martin's Circus would eventually appear

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum14.jpg

Inside the old market!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum22.jpg


More to come.... :)

[Confused Philosopher]

:eek2: The Auchinleck House has aged so beautifully.

[Biosonic]

And now..... remember this windswept space?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/MartianG/Library2.jpg

I completely forgot that this existed like this! I remember standing in a queue as a kid with my big sister waiting in a long line for her to get her bus pass... (or should that be buzz pass...) :)

[Smileyface]

Great pictures all round Martin G :cool:

[Martin G]

And here's a VERY RARE pic of the inside of the old library IN COLOUR!!!!!


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldLibrary.jpg

:)

[Martin G]

I completely forgot that this existed like this! I remember standing in a queue as a kid with my big sister waiting in a long line for her to get her bus pass... (or should that be buzz pass...) :)

It wasn't a WUMPTY (Blue WMPTE mascot) bus pass was it perchance? ;)

[Smileyface]

And here's a VERY RARE pic of the inside of the old library IN COLOUR!!!!!


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldLibrary.jpg

:)

:shocked: :cry:

[Splop]

New Street station in 1885

http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/history/railways/images/chnewst.jpg

http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/history/railways/images/chNewStreetStation.jpg

[Biosonic]

It wasn't a WUMPTY (Blue WMPTE mascot) bus pass was it perchance? ;)

I think it was a WM Travel one with the arrow on the start of W and end of M if I remember rightly. I was only 4 or thereabouts.... :)

[Martin G]

Yeah - like this one....

http://www.miac.org.uk/images/crosscity.jpg

and as seen on the old train timetables....

http://www.miac.org.uk/images/wmpte1982.jpg

I used to have loads of these! In fact I think I still have them stashed somewhere.

;)

[Biosonic]

That's the fella!

[Martin G]

I still think it's a cool logo - they've kept the Greater Manchester PTE "M" logo even after all this time, so why couldn't they have kept the WM one? I always thought the "Centro" logo was a bit cack.

[pirlo_21]

the interior of the old new street was awesome so much light

birmingham airport looks so small in those pictures

[Martin G]

Okay - a few more.....

New Street and Snow Hill as was...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum7.jpg


Old New Street being rebuilt (previously posted on the BNS thread):

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum8.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum9.jpg


Old Snow Hill

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum21.jpg


New highways taking shape:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum15.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum16.jpg


Old street scenes:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum18.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/OldBrum20.jpg

[brummad]

right i think someone should email these pics to the mail and make them publish them and start a petition to have a modern style replica of the coach houses and fun things like that rebuilt...so many people in bham will have no idea whatsoever that these stunning stations once existed

right i am going to go and weep silently
x

[Smileyface]

Thanks for those Martin. I've emailed quite a few of these pics to friends who know Bham well and they are absolutely gobsmacked by some of the architectual trweasures this city once had

[Smileyface]

The 'John Bright Street' pics are fantastic, it was a bustling thoroughfare back in 1950....

[Martin G]

I have lots of fascinating exclusive vintage pix of Snow Hill Station I will be putting up next - again taken from a great book that is long out of print.

[mk61]

Think I might just bump this to the top again...

Look at it - in good condition this would have been such an asset to the city.

New Street station in 1885

http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/history/railways/images/chnewst.jpg

http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/history/railways/images/chNewStreetStation.jpg

[Smileyface]

New Street does look amazing there so light and airy....here's something not quite so amazing but still interesting, Longbridge Pump House in 1959. Sadly it's no longer with us
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/LongbridgePumpingStation1959.jpg

View from St Pauls Square looking down Ludgate Hill toward the city centre 1960
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/JewelleryQuarterLudgatehill1960.jpg

Newhall street 1960
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/Newhallstreet1960.jpg

[Biosonic]

How Auntie has changed with Birmingham...

From these BBC Birmingham buildings:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a264/Biosonic/0b2fd919.jpg

to these BBC in the Midlands:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a264/Biosonic/7f1e8a55.jpg

and then back to BBC Birmingham:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a264/Biosonic/74a8bc49.jpg

:)

[brum2003]

its amazing how the city is again knocking down its remaining and new heritage, its not so shocking that so many beautiful buildings were demolished, whole districts for new roads etc, but that some dreadful rubbish was allowed to be built in their place

[Biosonic]

Stuff like the BBC and the Central (ATV) studios were a case of having to go back to a very basic way of approaching construction design: they were built to perform a function. Both (I believe) were state-of-the-art studios and offices when built, and were built because it was no longer practical to operate such hi-tech functions in old buildings that were being ruined internally by miles of cables, had poor heating systems etc. So it was time to build something new!

Incidentally, the old BBC building was somewhere to the back of the Vale at Birmingham Uni and may well still be standing - I think it might belong to the uni now...

[MIDGEBLACKANDWHITE]

Carpenter Road to be exact.

[Martin G]

Right - here are the exclusive pics of Snow Hill Station (taken from the excellent book below):

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHillbook.jpg


The original Snow Hill Frontage:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill20.jpg


The first station on the site actually looked like this:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill19.jpg

The airy entrance lobby:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill22.jpg


Some views of the more familiar [second] station:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill17.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill21.jpg

The connecting subway passage:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill2.jpg


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill3.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill4.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill5.jpg

An atmospheric shot of the deserted platform at dusk:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill6.jpg

One of the grand station clocks:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill23.jpg


Steam gave way to diesel traction - and a very special type of modern train is seen on the left here - The classic Blue Diesel Pullmans!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill7.jpg

Rush hour crowds:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill18.jpg

Station hotel building as it appeared before eventual closure:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill8.jpg

A view from the other side:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill9.jpg


The last passenger out of Snow Hill?

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill16.jpg


Inevitable closure - and the gradual running down of the station:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill10.jpg


Deserted platforms that would eventually become car parks:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill11.jpg

Demolition in progress:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill12.jpg

The old tunnel to Moor Street after closure and trackless...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill13.jpg

Desolate scenes as dereliction beckons:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill14.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill15.jpg

[Dazza]

Facinating pics. I'm glad to see that there was at least some protest at the closure. Even if it was in vain.

[ROYAL BLUE]

So why was is it shut and left to rot away. such a loss, especially given the state of current public transport.
Thanks martin.

[Martin G]

It was all an issue of economics (no matter how dubious that seems), apparently.

They felt that since New Street was electrified and redeveloped they couldn't justify keeping a second major terminus - with a duplicate route to London - open. And that's why it was literally left to rot away the way it was. Of course, with hindsight, given the huge demand for travel and competing services these days, they inevitably realised that it was a mistake to close/downgrade the only bona fide FOUR TRACK rail route (i.e. the old GWR) out of the city towards the capital thus squeezing all the traffic onto one route [which was already reaching capacity as it was] - hence the phased re-opening in 1987. Sometimes you have to realise that rationalisation ISN'T the answer in some respects. I think they've still yet to learn their lesson on that particular front however.

[woodhousen]

it sounds really pathetic but honestly it does make me want to cry, this was an amazing station..... better than the respective new street station. this would have been our equivelant to the modern Euston, and old Kings x /pancras sta in london id imagine.

infact from those pictures, it looks somewhat similar to glasgow central!!!!!!!

i would quite happily give up the proposed towers/office blocks in the snow hill site and rebuild a similar but slightly more modern version of that station!

[woodhousen]

martin G, i dont mean to sound Geeky but does that book happen to show the layout of tracks and platforms for the station?

[Martin G]

Yes - there are some diagrams as well. It's a brilliant book - I bought it in 1984 from the Ian Allan shop that used to be in the Birmingham Shopping Centre (later the Pallasades) - it cost only £4.95 and my copy was signed by the author! Though it was first published in 1978....I think this issue was reprinted as a paperback.

[Dee]

Fantastic pics there guys, really sad to see some of those pics and how things could have been so different.

[U475 Foxtrot]

And now..... remember this windswept space?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/MartianG/Library2.jpg
Christ this is amazing! I never knew this was originally exposed to the elements.

It's so sexy, so elegant, so mmm, it looks like something from Brasilia :) Anymore pictures? I can imagine it was cold though. I always thought the roof and extraction looked like additions. Now I've seen this I really, really don't want to see her demolished.

I'd want to see this section retained/restored and incorporated in whatever the new (office?) scheme may be. Surely the Large floor plates could be turned into office space? and look at the ceiling height! If I was in charge this would be planar glazed like the front of the Mailbox with a minimal bullring style sky roof. It reminds me a little of the ground floor level of the Glenn Howells tower proposed for the mailbox.

There are too many melancholy pictures of long gone builings which we would love back and this shouldn't be one too. Both Central Libraries have been such hugely significant buildings in the history of Birmingham it would be a terrible mistake to loose this one too.

[di Livio]

I must say, this is the best thread i've ever seen.
Post#39 is incredible. :eek2:

...and are you sure this isn't ancient Rome!?

http://xs38.xs.to/pics/05292/bham1883.jpg

[Smileyface]

It is certainly my favourite thread at the moment....I'm tempted to post some of these images on the main skybar

[Smileyface]

Blimey, who remembers the Camp Hill flyover? Here it is in 1968, I'm sure it was only supposed to be a temporary structure but i can remember it so it must have lasted well into the late Eighties!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/CampHillflyover1968.jpg

[MIDGEBLACKANDWHITE]

Blimey, who remembers the Camp Hill flyover? Here it is in 1968, I'm sure it was only supposed to be a temporary structure but i can remember it so it must have lasted well into the late Eighties!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/CampHillflyover1968.jpg
Guess I must be knockin on but I certainly remember it. I remember getting the number 6 bus from town up the Stratford Rd to stay with one of my mates from B'ham Uni. The bus went over this structure and when you sat upstairs at the front it felt like you would tip over the edge. I know it was only meant to be up for a couple of years but obviously lasted a lot longer (BIT LIKE PREFABS!).. :)

[Martin G]

Yeah - I recall it - it was there for quite a while before they finally dismantled it - Manchester had a similar one at Chester Road junction - which also went once the Mancunian Way was extended below it to connect with the western side of Regent Road junction. It was pretty useful that Camp Hill flyover and one wonders why they didn't just leave it as steel flyovers are actually pretty rare in the UK (North London still has a few dotted about somewhere).

[Smileyface]

I love that pic, it seems strange seeing the M1 signposted in the city centre :crazy:

[MIDGEBLACKANDWHITE]

Christ this is amazing! I never knew this was originally exposed to the elements.

It's so sexy, so elegant, so mmm, it looks like something from Brasilia :) Anymore pictures? I can imagine it was cold though. I always thought the roof and extraction looked like additions. Now I've seen this I really, really don't want to see her demolished.

I'd want to see this section retained/restored and incorporated in whatever the new (office?) scheme may be. Surely the Large floor plates could be turned into office space? and look at the ceiling height! If I was in charge this would be planar glazed like the front of the Mailbox with a minimal bullring style sky roof. It reminds me a little of the ground floor level of the Glenn Howells tower proposed for the mailbox.

There are too many melancholy pictures of long gone builings which we would love back and this shouldn't be one too. Both Central Libraries have been such hugely significant buildings in the history of Birmingham it would be a terrible mistake to loose this one too.
MMM..I can assure you that when it was exposed to the elements it was fucking terrible. The wind would howl through, and people would scurry about trying to get through as quickly as possible. Then they created Paradise Forum and it improved things 100%. We now need money spent here again though, coz it looks decidely tatty!. :)

[MarcusValhalla]

MMM..I can assure you that when it was exposed to the elements it was fucking terrible. The wind would howl through, and people would scurry about trying to get through as quickly as possible. Then they created Paradise Forum and it improved things 100%. We now need money spent here again though, coz it looks decidely tatty!. :)

It was, it was awful! I remember at some point in the late 70's/early 80's going there with my parents because my mum needed to renew her train pass. The wind in there was cutting. And then there was all the unfinished bit, there were sections out the back towards where the Copthorne is now with rebar sticking out, and unfinished water features, and past that there was a bit of a car park and a scaffold bridge down to a subway which you used to get to the Bingley Hall...

[Martin G]

I love that pic, it seems strange seeing the M1 signposted in the city centre :crazy:

I know what you mean, but that was before the M6 finally reached the city I take it? Mind you - Brum STILL has exactly the same lamp-posts as those shown in that pic on most of its main roads. Only the actual lights are different (if they're not still the horrid sodium ones, that is).

[Smileyface]

Have you got a Lamp post fetish martin? :)

[Martin G]

No.

Why?

[Martin G]

Now look at this old pic showing the rail alignment towards Snow Hill prior to the reinstatement of the trains through the tunnel in 1987.....

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/b/birmingham_moor_street/birmingham_moor_street4.jpg


Some of our current rail lines are as overgrown with greenery as it appears here!

[Smileyface]

No.

Why?

just wondered

You're coming up with the goods on this thread Martin, did you take that pic above?

[Martin G]

No - it was taken from an old Brum rail website:

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/b/birmingham_moor_street/

[ROYAL BLUE]

Now look at this old pic showing the rail alignment towards Snow Hill prior to the reinstatement of the trains through the tunnel in 1987.....

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/stations/b/birmingham_moor_street/birmingham_moor_street4.jpg


Some of our current rail lines are as overgrown with greenery as it appears here!



Fuck me!!!!!
these all deserve to be hosted!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/birmingham_moor_street7.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/birmingham_moor_street9.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/birmingham_moor_street5.jpg


No Pavillion shopping centre!
(look at the state of those platforms)
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/birmingham_moor_street3.jpg

not seen this angle before:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/djguinness/birmingham_moor_street_new2.jpg

[Smileyface]

:eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

[ROYAL BLUE]

ha ha thats what i thought.
Martin G you are a star!!

[Smileyface]

ha ha thats what i thought.
Martin G you are a star!!

What that he's a lamp post enthusiast...I think we've all got our suspicions :D

[ROYAL BLUE]

ha ha, yeah whats that all about?!? strange man :runaway:

[Martin G]

What are you all implying now? :nono:

[Smileyface]

Probably involves lamp posts

[Martin G]

Nope, you've completely lost me there. :hm:

[Biosonic]

I know what you mean, but that was before the M6 finally reached the city I take it? Mind you - Brum STILL has exactly the same lamp-posts as those shown in that pic on most of its main roads. Only the actual lights are different (if they're not still the horrid sodium ones, that is).

Won't everything be replaced with this £2 billion PFI?

A friend of mine works on environmental stuff and he says that Birmingham's light pollution is awful...

[Martin G]

I used to play a role in designing street furniture for Stockport Council [well, 10 years ago now], so maybe I do have something to moan about after all! ;)

[Bachy Soletanche]

It was, it was awful! I remember at some point in the late 70's/early 80's going there with my parents because my mum needed to renew her train pass. The wind in there was cutting. And then there was all the unfinished bit, there were sections out the back towards where the Copthorne is now with rebar sticking out, and unfinished water features, and past that there was a bit of a car park and a scaffold bridge down to a subway which you used to get to the Bingley Hall...

I remember that too! 'orrible it was.

And that really was the end of town too.. Wasn't there a really nasty underpass to Bingley Hall?

In fact has anyone got any pictures of Bingly Hall/Centenery Hall, as appart from the Registry office and that Hall of Memories, I have no recollection of that area at all from before the reconstruction. And I think I went to a couple of Good Food thingys at Bingly Hall too..

[brum2003]

did anyone cut through that tunnel as a short cut, I used to live in hocley and you could walk though from key hill cememtry to saint pauls square, was dark and scary, but fun x

I heard people used to cut through the moor street one too ?

[LSyd]

great thread.

here's what we did to our great old train station, Terminal Station: it got torn down in the early 70s so a highway could go through (a good highway, but why couldn't they have gone around the station!!!)

or new train station's pretty nice with a shiny dome, nicer than a lot of American cities, but nothing like what was lost.

then

http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/48904030.jpg

now

http://www.pbase.com/lsyd/image/26469349.jpg

-

[Biosonic]

Maybe there's something about the name 'Birmingham' that says "lets tear down our nicest buildings" :cry:

[Steve-e-b]

Maybe there's something about the name 'Birmingham' that says "lets tear down our nicest buildings" :cry:
Well, that could well be the meaning of 'Birmingham':

Bir - Gaelic for shiver, meaning to shake-off
Min - from the Latin, meaning to reduce
Gham - old Norse for commodity, meaning a physical item of value

So by definition, Birmingham means "lets tear down our nicest buildings"! Or... that could be a load of bollocks I just made up. :nuts:

[Biosonic]

:laugh:

I propose we erect a statue of Steve-e-b with his inscription carved into the stone below!

[Steve-e-b]

:laugh:

I propose we erect a statue of Steve-e-b with his inscription carved into the stone below!
I'm flattered. Where would you put the statue? Somewhere fitting like outside the library or New St station? Or perhaps drop it in the canal.

[Biosonic]

Something like the Angel of the North for Spaghetti Junction, and the translation of Birmingham could be inscribed in the concrete walls of the Aston Expressway.

[LSyd]

Maybe there's something about the name 'Birmingham' that says "lets tear down our nicest buildings" :cry:

i forgot to mention that there was a silver lining; people were so pissed off over the demolition, and also because of the demolition of the nice old Tutweiler Hotel (early 1900s skyscraper, torn down around the same time and replaced with a glass box that's our 3rd tallest) that the preservation movement gained ground here. this lead to a lot of buildings getting listed, locally and nationally.

some are still sitting vacant, while the two most prominent, City Federal (27 stories, built in 1913) and the Cabana Hotel (20 stories, 1930ish) are undergoing loft conversions.

-

[Usherling]

Hi i am new to this website and It is a fabulous website, it is spectacualr. I am from Birmingham born and bred there I am planning to live in the Masshouse Project, that is when they have finished it. New Street station looks absolutely fabulous what happened?? But the New New Street station should be a stunner.
Usherling

[Blunther]

Hello mate :wave:

[Biosonic]

Hi Usherling, and welcome :wave:

[pirlo_21]

yep hello

[Biosonic]

I feel sick.

This is what they knocked down to build the (now demolished) bingo on Bath Row.

Ladies & Gentlemen, I give you the offices of Davenports Brewery:

http://www.go-for-it.co.uk/Davenports/Images/OfficeFront.jpg

[Bachy Soletanche]

Never seen that Davenports Builiding before, hmmm.. Not the best move was it?

Also from another thread:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/Untitled.jpg

Anyone wanna guess where this was?

Hint it's on another thread with titled with the answer!

[pirlo_21]

I feel sick.

This is what they knocked down to build the (now demolished) bingo on Bath Row.

Ladies & Gentlemen, I give you the offices of Davenports Brewery:

http://www.go-for-it.co.uk/Davenports/Images/OfficeFront.jpg

that was beautiful, but maybe it was knocked down as it werent fit for use, who was responsible for deciding to knock these buildings down

[Biosonic]

^^This is the best bit - the College of Food bought the site, knocked it down (the whole brewery) and sold some of the land off (for a bingo) and retained some for student flats.

Why not sell the brewery bit off to the bingo and retain this for the flats? The old hospital was kept for flats!

Sheer madness. Does anyone remember the bridge that used to cross Bath Row?

[Dazza]

The Davenports Brewery was closed around 1986 after being taken over by Greenhall Whitley of Warrington. The brewery was demolished shortly afterwards.
Davenports were famous for their "Beer at Home" and used to deliver door to door although they had around 200 tied houses in the Midlands.
It's tragic that B'ham no longer has a single brewery to it's name.

[Biosonic]

^^That's "progress".

There are small breweries in Brum - such as Aston Manor (who brew Davenports ale now) but no major ones. Brum used to be such an important brewing city too. Cape Hill & Bath Row were major producers - any others?

Since Cape Hill stopped extracting water from the local aquifer I hear there have been problems with localised flooding where the water table surfaces. That'll teach 'em! :)

[peter_bain2003]

I am a new user, couldn't help see Davenport's, I use to work for them in the 70's and spent many a good time, I would love to see more pics and if anybody has memories, I am ashamed to say I have the original song from the advert on a floppy promotional disc(I know sad bugger comes to mind) I found this site today and can't leave it alone, thanks to everyone for contributing, regards
Pete

[Blunther]

Welcome Pete! :wave:

[peter_bain2003]

Thank you , best thing I have done today, oh other drink a beer
take care

[pauliewalnuts]

I'm so glad this thread got resurrected, there are some amazing pics here.

But, jesus fecking christ, doesn't it make you *weep* when you see some of the awesome buildings they knocked down?

I feel very depressed now!

[Biosonic]

Hello there Pete - glad you like the forum :)

[Nacho]

Welcome aboard Pete.

[SimonTheSoundMan]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y89/mckopper/SnowHill8.jpg

Anyone fancy doing this at New Street now?

[brumthom]

i saw that picture of snow hill a while back and to tell you the truth ive never worked up the courage to look at it again. its too depressing to see what an amazing building they knocked down. i remember talking about it with my nan (an aston gal). she would just shake her head and mutter things under her breath

[Martin G]

Yeah - twas me who put up a whole load of pics scanned from this amazing book that I got in 1984 all about that station - signed by the author as well. :)

[Bachy Soletanche]

So what buildings are they knocking down now, or in the future will we be looking back in horror?

Natwest Building? Library?

I really miss the Vomit stain/Rocket exploding into space from the side of that Andaluck, er.. that one in 5 ways.

[Martin G]

Auchinleck House to you squire, lover of all things ugly and shit-coloured.... ;)

[Bachy Soletanche]

I'm suprised you're not using this moment to mention your horror at the Destruction of the Post and Mail Building.

[Biosonic]

I liked the sick on the side of Auchinleck House. Pity they covered it up. The rest of it was a dump though and it generally looks better now. The fact they are doing nothing with the square suggests it is up for wholsale redevelopment - after all Bakers is empty so there are only a few shops to get rid of.

There used to be another building that had sick on the side (blue if I remember rightly) but I can't think where...

[Bachy Soletanche]

And that strange statue of Baydon-Powell, stuck in the middle of a very 60s (50?) Square, Scouting for Boy, and all that.

Very odd place to come across it...


edited to add: (ooh, on subject!) I just saw a picture of the old New Street Station/Queens Hotel, it looks like Glasgow Central, how depressing.

Sorry, I've no Scanner to hand...

[Telfordboy]

What a great thread. Does anyone have any pictures of the facade of old New Street? I love the tram lines they should still be everywhere they're wicked. It's pretty weird for me to think that when all these great old buildings were built my town didn't even have a town centre, actually its debatable as to whether it has one now. My god i love Birmingham.

[U475 Foxtrot]

I like the old mosaic murals too. They were by Trewin Copplestone and there's some stuff about them on here.
http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/BM/WMbiBIxx089.htm
http://www.trewincopplestone.com/about.aspx The old boy himself :)

It's probably by a well respected artist but I can't believe the shit they've covered the big one up with. I used to drive round Fiveways everyday and often thought the 'new art' looked like the cover of a menu from a shit chainy restaurant.

The Statue is of Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck not Baden Powell and was commisioned by the Developer or Main contractor (Can't remember which) as they had served under him in the Second World War.

http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/BM/WMbiBIxx106.htm and link to photograph
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/claude_auchinleck.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Auchinleck

[Bachy Soletanche]

Mosaics are LOST???

This is really, really bad. It's like we never learnt anything about the 60s distruction. Or Hang on, do they just mean hidden? I keep getting things wrong!

[FLD]

Stephen, with so much excitement in Manchester at the moment, you must almost be on the edge of that conurbation, what brings you down to Birmingham? Most people in the North West don't appear to have much time for the Midlands. Good to have you here all the same!

[peter_bain2003]

Going back to snowhill, I remember my Dad taking me there at about 5, he was from Aberdeen, and the reason we went was so he could see the train leaving for Scotland, I think he must have been homesick, but to me remembering the great place after all these years, I alway stood way back because of the noise, but to see it in the demolition years, has begin to wish I never saw it in it's former glory, I wonder if having know memory of the place would have been better, but after all that the pics were brilliant

[peter_bain2003]

Oh and to Nacho, Hi and thanks for the welcome

Pete

[peter_bain2003]

And Hi biosonic& thanks

[Mercian]

Belated & probably boring I know but I'll miss the Post & Mail - if it was good enough for Pevsner it was good enough for me (... saying that, I think he liked the Biology block at the Uni and the MAC too!? ... hmm). A gem lost years ago was the Grammar School on New Street (by Pugin) replaced by the Odeon cinema.

[Martin G]

I'm suprised you're not using this moment to mention your horror at the Destruction of the Post and Mail Building.



Been there done that - ten times over....even got the T-shirt of course.... now of course it's gone, it's history..... we have to move on and find summat else to get pissed off about - like the New Street Station redevelopment of course! ;)

[peter_bain2003]

What a shame an excellent site is marred by swearing, given the fact, women& kids probably read this...

[Blunther]

What a shame an excellent site is marred by swearing, given the fact, women& kids probably read this...

Women and kids also swear mate :)

Have a walk round your nearest playground, they'll probably teach you a few words :D

It won't hurt anyone.

[Mercian]

I've noticed some people have been 'BANNED' (crikey!) - is that cos they were swearing?

[Blunther]

Nah swearing's permitted. People have been banned for being complete wan... erm... toss.. erm... gits :)

[U475 Foxtrot]

Smiley posted these on page 4

Auchinleck House 1968
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Old%20birmingham/AuchinleckHouse1967.jpg

Auchinleck House 2005
http://tinypic.com/a59v9x.jpg

[FLD]

Nah swearing's permitted. People have been banned for being complete wan... erm... toss.. erm... gits :)

I was banned for a week for daring to say that the Beetham Tower in Manchester was boring and looked like it had been designed by a 3 year old!

(I did rub it in about Arena Central, Pinnacle, etc, etc, perhaps that's what scuppered me?)

[Blunther]

I was banned for a week for daring to say that the Beetham Tower in Manchester was boring and looked like it had been designed by a 3 year old!

(I did rub it in about Arena Central, Pinnacle, etc, etc, perhaps that's what scuppered me?)

I think that'll be 'cos there's been a lot of bad blood in the past between Birmingham and Manchester forumers (especially a certain infamous mancunian who has since departed these shores...), so the mods are quite quick to strike when any of that's raising its head again :)

[Bachy Soletanche]

I was banned for a week for daring to say that the Beetham Tower in Manchester was boring and looked like it had been designed by a 3 year old!

(I did rub it in about Arena Central, Pinnacle, etc, etc, perhaps that's what scuppered me?)

Is that 2 weeks now??

Personally I prefer the the design of Beecham Manchester to Arena Central, well, not so much the design, as they way they're BUILDING IT.

[CargoHold]

Someone asked for a picture of The Woodman pub ?

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/The-Woodman.jpg

[Bachy Soletanche]

The headbar man at the Woodmans pub was called Fletcher, hence Fletchers walk.

Tribute? Or taking the p*ss?

[peter_bain2003]

Hi Blunther, I hear what you say about kids swearing, and there is nobody swears more than me when I am at work with my trucker mates(TRUCKER), but I respect people who don't like, it and this reason wouldn't dream of using bad language to express my self to make me look big, the worst part is reading the threads proves that people are passionate like myself about good old Brum.sorry if I sound like a goody goody, but am far from that, just respectful.....see you in church :cheers:

[Dazza]

Has anyone got any pictures of the interior of the Woodman? I remember seeing one in a book once and looked magnificant with it's beautifully tiled walls.
Sadly, whilst Brum has preserved many fine pub exteriors the internal fitting have sadly long gone. The City Tavern being a good example. The Bartons Arms in Newtown is probably the best preserved pub in the City. A fine example of a Victorian gin palace.

[Bachy Soletanche]

I have somewhere, alas my scanner (yes, mine) is at work, and I'm busy relaxing at the mo!

I may try and take a photo of the page, or something. And yes, it was rather nice...

When they knocking down that building that they replaced it with? I look forward to passing water on the ashes.

[CargoHold]

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/woodman054.jpg

[BABYCAKES]

wow what a beautiful pub. Imagine whiling the afternoon away in there? It makes you wanna weep doesn't it?!

[Dazza]

wow what a beautiful pub. Imagine whiling the afternoon away in there? It makes you wanna weep doesn't it?!
It sure does. Thanks CH for those although it only makes me sad to see what we
lost.

[Sonny97]

indeed - to be replaced with lifeless, sterile theme pubs with absolutely no character at all, with a built-in sell-by date of five minutes

[Victorian]

Going back to snowhill, I remember my Dad taking me there at about 5, he was from Aberdeen, and the reason we went was so he could see the train leaving for Scotland,
Trains for Scotland from Snow Hill? I thought the end of the line from Snow Hill was Birkenhead. Didn't trains for Scotland always leave from New St., even when it was being rebuilt?

[zigmonster]

bHas anybody heard any recent news on the Golden Lion pub...you know, tha black and white timber building currently looking worse for wear in Cannon Hill Park. There have been many a rumour of its imminent return to Digbeth but nothing has been said for a while. Would be awesome if it did come back, perhaps overlooking a newly landscaped river rea somewhere in eastside.



more on the pub...

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=16581&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=11818&EXPAND=1746

http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/expats/pastpres/tm_objectid=11986652&method=full&siteid=50003&headline=the-timbers-of-old-birmingham-name_page.html

http://www.astonbrook-through-astonmanor.co.uk/aston_brook_through_aston_manor6e.htm

[peter_bain2003]

Hi Victorian, I think some one was bulling me, I do remember snowhill maybe it was new st that did the Scots one, but thanks for putting me right
Pete

[Bachy Soletanche]

New Street, apparently.

http://www.localhistory.scit.wlv.ac.uk/articles/railways/new%20street.jpg


And why did they get rid of the one on left?

http://www.parki.com/921ba01.jpg

[Mercian]

Yep, I recognise above (1) as the old New Street (the station/hotel actually faced on to Stephenson Street - where the base of Pallasades now is) - with the huge glass canopy located behind it. A sad loss, like Snowhill (... might get told off for being nostalgic I know, but compare the replacement(s)). I think the shops in (2) were demolished after WW2 (that old chesnut "war damage"?), but in the process Victoria Square was enlarged and the facade of the Council House opened up. (These shops themselves replaced an old Georgian Church, Christchurch.)

[Mercian]

D:\Photos\1731_Birmingham
?????

DUH - i'm being really, really, really thick - how do i upload some pics from my photoshop with my post? ...

[feltip]

You need to use a website like photobucket so your picture exists on the web and not your computer. You will then be able to link to that image and it will show.

[Mercian]

Thanks feltip - i'll have a go at sorting that out (. . . . technology eh ??!!??)

[Mercian]

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g286/WestMercian/1731_Birmingham.jpg

(It worked! :) )

Ok - many of you probably know above map of Brum in 1731 - but historical context to all your discussions still interesting, maybe?
Key: 1 - Digbeth & Deritend; 2 - Birmingham Manor (medieval moated homestead); 3 - St Martins in the Bull Ring church; 4 - site of later New Street Station; 5 - site of later Town Hall; 6 - site of later Council House; 7 - recently-built St Philips Church (later the cathedral); 8 - Newhall House; 9 - approx route of later Corporation Street; 10 - the original Old Square.

ps. Map has been reoriented so North is at top.

[Mercian]

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g286/WestMercian/prospect1732.jpg

... and a view of the town from the east in 1732, with: 1 - spire of St Martins church, 2 - tower of King Edwards grammar school on New Street, 3 - tower & cupola of St Philips church (its size somewhat exaggerated - size queens even then!).

[fosters son]

These pics are great. Does anyone have any more from the 60's and 70's

[Steve-e-b]

This should bring back some memories.
Camp Hill Flyover - driver's eye (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2635076933143680241)

[Martin G]

This should bring back some memories.
Camp Hill Flyover - driver's eye (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2635076933143680241)


Wow - that's a great find - what a trip back in time that is - 1970s by the looks of things. We used to always visit my Uncle's in Edgbaston during the early 70s and our trips always involved loads of running through the ring road's underpasses and flyovers in his car and plenty of sightings of the famed concrete paradise that the city was back then. Brum seemed glamorous back then with all that neon!! Practically all of the sights seen on that 5 minute film I could remember from back then - I also noticed how primitive looking the viaduct flyover at Camp Hill really was - it was built as a temporary steel structure but lasted much longer than it was intended to. What a curio! And also notce how diddy the street lights were all along the Queensway ring road back then - in fact 90% of all Brum city's main roads still have the same street light columns as they did over 30 years ago - wonder why? Even the motorways haven't replaced their lights either after all this time (look at the wonky lamp standards on Aston Expressway for proof).

The only thing spoiling my enjoyment of the video was my connection - even though it's 1MB broadband NTL ferfuxsakes - the entire 5 minute film kept stopping and juddering every couple of seconds - which made it almost impossible to watch properly without getting extremely agitated and wish the fucker would stop playing up. Is this just a problem at my end or does anyone else get the same thing happening to them? As a result of this, I couldn't really click into the other short films there (Moor Street/Snow Hill rail tunnel one) cos it would mean it taking twice as long to get through them as a result of all the infuriating stop/starting. :bash:

[Butterfield]

I really enjoyed that! I think it's more 80's cos I identified a Maestro (launched 1983) and a Rover 800 (1987/88).

Mine kept catching up with the buffering thang so I stopped it a couple of times to let it get ahead! ...If that makes any sense.

[fosters son]

Try this link: Loads of pics
http://www.pbase.com/beppuu/old_bham

[BABYCAKES]

Wow! Thanks for that link...fab pictures..just great..really interesting.

[majorSharpe[b3ta]]

Anyone know when the Camphill Flyover was demolished?
Great video...

[Bachy Soletanche]

Look what I just found:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/Birmingham/Skyline.jpg

[woodhousen]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Martin G]

Can anyone put a year on that pic? When did they start on creating Centenary Square?

[woodhousen]

1987

[feltip]

Well the current design was finished in 1991, taking from 1989 to 1991 to complete.

Interestingly the Rep moved in 1971 but the design of a pool to which it would face was not completed so the entrance is supposed to be odd. Not sure myself, could do with seeing original plans.

Pics of the plans for the ICC and that show a larger path going straight through middle of square with some trees on left. Will try and get scans from a centenary of Birmingham guide I bought second hand.

[Bachy Soletanche]

It was taken from the cover of the First edition of new Newspaper that started up, twas a while ago, there's a picture of Russel Grant and Kylie on the other side...

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/Birmingham/Skyline.jpg

Intrestingly the Photographer seemed to miss, he needed to turn the camera to the right, and he would have got more of the city centre in. If you look closely you can see the old Post and Mail Building, with it's clock, and the 'old' Kennedy Tower. And you can see that orginal 60s terrible building next to the Council House.

[Martin G]

It was taken from the cover of the First edition of new Newspaper that started up, twas a while ago, there's a picture of Russell Grant and Kylie on the other side...




That's a lie! The mugshots of Russell Grant and Kylie Minogue actually appear on either side of this Brum pic. In fact I have the original cutting as well, which shows that this pic was actually taken from THIS amazing article:


http://tinypic.com/zvesm1.jpg


Don't say I'm not good to yers.

:tongue2:

[pirlo_21]

how awful does the library look in that picture

[Bachy Soletanche]

Can't see your pic Martin G, but Mines def got little Kylie and big Russel on the back too, it's from the....

Express and Star.

[Martin G]

Grrrrr! FUCK PICTIGER- THEY'RE SHIT!! :evil: :bash:

[Butterfield]

THAT'S why I was confused!! : :laugh: :laugh:

Almost looks like a ten pound note, what with a British landscape, and what seems to be two queens...

[CargoHold]

Central Library 1974

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/Central-Library-1974.jpg

[Biosonic]

Thanks Ch - it almost looks decent there. But you can see the dilapidated remains of one of the glorius old buildings off to the right.

Bastards :bash:

[CargoHold]

I have a few books here about the history of Birmingham, i'll have to get round to doing some scanning over the next couple of day's.

[Bachy Soletanche]

Grrrrr! FUCK PICTIGER- THEY'RE SHIT!! :evil: :bash:

Eeek! I think I prefered it when the little Pictiger picture came up!

Mummy, I'm scared!

[CargoHold]

Re: Central Library

A history teacher told us that there is a nuclear bunker under it, anyone else heard this one ?

[Martin G]

Eeek! I think I prefered it when the little Pictiger picture came up!

Mummy, I'm scared!


:lol: I hope you're gonna get nightmares tonight when the figure on the left comes to haunt your dreams..... :tongue2:

[Martin G]

Thanks Ch - it almost looks decent there. But you can see the dilapidated remains of one of the glorius old buildings off to the right.

Bastards :bash:


I take it some of you do know that the new Central Library was actually inspired by the shape of Boston City Hall....?

http://www.greatbuildings.com/models/Boston_City_Hall.150.jpg

http://www.celebrateboston.com/images/strange/gcbostoncityhallphoto.jpg

http://www.kmwarch.com/images/6401_e10.jpg

http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/kallmann/frontend.jpg

[Rigadon]

Central Library 1974

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/Central-Library-1974.jpg


WOW

[feltip]

"I take it some of you do know that the new Central Library was actually inspired by the shape of Boston City Hall....?"

Thats funny you say that, a friend i know says Birmingham reminds him most of Boston in America with density, mix of neighbourhoods and old and new.

And another friend i know say Brum the most american UK city.

[Gherkin]

^^ Oh my you have lots of friends! Why was this building demolished? It had so much prescence and looked better than the Boston one.

[Blunther]

It's not demolished, still there, large as life.

I now love the fucking thing, and will tie myself to it if they try and dmeolish it.

[woodhousen]

^^ well i would be very willing to press the button that brings it down.... its going and i love the fact!!!!!

poor boston... atleast ours is hidden away...theres is on full view...is it still there in bostn?

[Bachy Soletanche]

It would need too much money spending on it to make it work, knock it dawn, and start again!

Shame, as it could have been great,

[Biosonic]

It's not demolished, still there, large as life.

I now love the fucking thing, and will tie myself to it if they try and dmeolish it.

Does that make you Collateral Damage Blunth? ;)

[Martin G]

poor boston... atleast ours is hidden away...theres is on full view...is it still there in bostn?


Yes it is! And it's going nowhere fast either! :yes:

[MJH]

It sure does. Thanks CH for those although it only makes me sad to see what we
lost.

Hold up, The Woodman is still there, everyone thought it got knocked down in 1964, but a last minute road draft saved it. The brewery even forgot it which mean it escaped generations of "refits". Though sadly shut at the moment, Ive heard rumour of it reopening soon, I was going to try it on May Bank Holiday.

[Biosonic]

I heard that it has become a bit of a gay haunt - older types with handlebar moustaches and leather gear. I know someone who strayed in there for a pint after going to Millennium Point and was, well, surprised ;)

[CargoHold]

Ok heres one that will piss a few people off.

This is a shot [not my own work] of The Exchange, Stephenson Place which was demolished to make way for The Exchange Building which is currently HSBC Bank/Macdonalds/The Ramp.

The building that you can see behind it is the old King Edward School. [anyone want a pic of that one ?]

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/Stephenson-Place-The-Exchan.jpg

[Bachy Soletanche]

Ok heres one that will piss a few people off.

Hulk angrey! Hulk SMASH!

I wouldn't mind a pict of the old school, I've only found a rubbish one for the Houses of Parliment Building thread.

[CargoHold]

Hope this is not the same shot that you refer to Stephen.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/king-edwards064.jpg

[Bachy Soletanche]

http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=253839&page=5

No that's a much better Picture!

And the Exchange looks good in that one too, and look what they replaced it with:
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/2411130NewStreet_pic1.jpg

Thanks to Woodhouse for that one, not that he allowed me to borrow it or owt..

[CargoHold]

I remember it when it was the Midland Bank and it was in a right old state, did someone give it a scrub whilst i was away ?.

[Mercian]

Brilliant pics CargoHold - I don't know how to react really ... WHAAAA, WHAAA, WHAAA(?) ... I'm sure the nation's/globe's impression of Birmingham would be so different if these (& others, ie. The Grand Theatre at the top end of New Street, the original Rotunda - which was the exhibition room of the B'ham Society of Artists - also at the top end of New Street, the original Library, Mason College, etc) had survived (been repaired post-WW2?) & all the modern development concentrated in localites around the core. ... I dunno, eh.

[brumthom]

ok. can we stop this thread please? it was enough when i first saw the old snow hill building but this is just too much. right now i could be living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

what
were
they
thinking?

[van heckler]

Ye old Curzon Street station

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j230/van_heckler_1/134175.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j230/van_heckler_1/7.jpg

[Bachy Soletanche]

It looks quite small till you notice the people in the first picture. Don't think I've ever seen it close up.

[Bachy Soletanche]

Here's one I bought as old postcard, yes, bought!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/oldbrum1.jpg

I think you can see the building that the Natwest Building replaced the one with the nice dome thingy.

And in typical 60 style here's the "improvment"

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/oldbrum3.jpg

[Bachy Soletanche]

and here's one of the Toys'R'Us building
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/oldbrum2.jpg

I'm sure these picture should be coming up bigger, I wonder what's going wrong?

[CargoHold]

I remember that patch of grass well. we used to go on the pull there during the summer holidays ... lol. I bemoaned it's demise at the time but after all it was just a patch of grass and what we have now is much better.

[BABYCAKES]

and here's one of the Toys'R'Us building
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/oldbrum2.jpg

I'm sure these picture should be coming up bigger, I wonder what's going wrong?
Thats not the Toys RUs building. Thats the building that houses Oasis opposite the old Lewis's building. :)

[BABYCAKES]

If you look beyond that building however, you'll see the beautiful buildings that were torn down eventually for the ToysRUs building. (how typically Birmingham).

[nick_taylor]

This sort of damage really tears my heart up. We should round up all those involved, be it the councillors, architects, builders and masterplanners and seize their assets to re-build some of these buildings.

What I would like to know is how much would it cost to re-build some of these buildings.

[Bachy Soletanche]

Okey, here's another earlier one of Old Square looking towards Oasis/Toys'R'Us

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/oldbrum5.jpg

I think I need to scale this to the right size, as I keep making them too big and it's chopping them right down.

[Bachy Soletanche]

Oh, dear...

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a366/robinsonworld/oldbrum6.jpg

(I think I'll put this picture on the BNS thread and depress the people there too.

[CargoHold]

A bit of old Brum that still exists ... thanks Bio for the directions, well at least the sign is still there.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/Cattle-walk.jpg

[blahblah]

Went in the BMAG the other day. Has any one else seen the model of the Original plans for Centenary Square?

I never took pictures I'm affraid, but when I go again, I'll try to get a few.

Basically, Baskerville house was to be twice as big as it is now. Effectively, with another Baskerville House built on to the back (where the multistorey is now)

At the opposite side (where ICC/Symphony Hall is) there was to be an identical copy of the extended Bask House. to the front was to be a planetarium to mirror the Hall of Memory.

To finish the square off, a huge Town Hall style building was to be built. This building would run "behind" the rear of the 2 Baskerville Houses.

The square was to have some sort of Nelsons Column type structure in the middle (I couldn't tell from the model what the statue was meant to be)

It looked absolutely amazing. It would have been a truly breathtaking square which would have easilly rivalled Trafalgar in London, or any other Sqaure in the World.

According to the literature around the model, it was deemed too expensive, So we got the municipal bank, Hall of Memory, The front half of Baskerville House and nothing more.

Shame.

[Zenith]

Very very depressing thread. A part of the true, old Britain died with these demolished buildings and awful 60's urban street planning. It depressed me when I went to France and saw how lovingly they have preserved their towns and cities. Yes they werent bombed but nor did they decide to finish the job the Luftwaffe started.

When I walk around old streets I feel right, I feel normal...I feel natural and complete. Yes yes yes I know its corny but I do, I feel British. When I walk around Plymouth City centre for example It feels all wrong, sterile, false and frankly depressing.

[Engels]

Went in the BMAG the other day. Has any one else seen the model of the Original plans for Centenary Square?

I never took pictures I'm affraid, but when I go again, I'll try to get a few.

Basically, Baskerville house was to be twice as big as it is now. Effectively, with another Baskerville House built on to the back (where the multistorey is now)

At the opposite side (where ICC/Symphony Hall is) there was to be an identical copy of the extended Bask House. to the front was to be a planetarium to mirror the Hall of Memory.

To finish the square off, a huge Town Hall style building was to be built. This building would run "behind" the rear of the 2 Baskerville Houses.

The square was to have some sort of Nelsons Column type structure in the middle (I couldn't tell from the model what the statue was meant to be)

It looked absolutely amazing. It would have been a truly breathtaking square which would have easilly rivalled Trafalgar in London, or any other Sqaure in the World.

According to the literature around the model, it was deemed too expensive, So we got the municipal bank, Hall of Memory, The front half of Baskerville House and nothing more.

Shame.


Yup i've seen it and one of us really needs to go in with a camera as it's a truely magnificant design... shame!

[feltip]

Went in the BMAG the other day. Has any one else seen the model of the Original plans for Centenary Square?

I never took pictures I'm affraid, but when I go again, I'll try to get a few.

Basically, Baskerville house was to be twice as big as it is now. Effectively, with another Baskerville House built on to the back (where the multistorey is now)

At the opposite side (where ICC/Symphony Hall is) there was to be an identical copy of the extended Bask House. to the front was to be a planetarium to mirror the Hall of Memory.

To finish the square off, a huge Town Hall style building was to be built. This building would run "behind" the rear of the 2 Baskerville Houses.

The square was to have some sort of Nelsons Column type structure in the middle (I couldn't tell from the model what the statue was meant to be)

It looked absolutely amazing. It would have been a truly breathtaking square which would have easilly rivalled Trafalgar in London, or any other Sqaure in the World.

According to the literature around the model, it was deemed too expensive, So we got the municipal bank, Hall of Memory, The front half of Baskerville House and nothing more.

Shame.

Id recommending reading the new pevsner guide, more than all that was a plan for a 36 storey (please correct me if wrong) tower I think where the four tower blocks were. And for the 1930s/40s that may have kickstarted the taller ambitions of Birmingham a good few decades earlier.

[woodhousen]

Went in the BMAG the other day. Has any one else seen the model of the Original plans for Centenary Square?

I never took pictures I'm affraid, but when I go again, I'll try to get a few.

Basically, Baskerville house was to be twice as big as it is now. Effectively, with another Baskerville House built on to the back (where the multistorey is now)

At the opposite side (where ICC/Symphony Hall is) there was to be an identical copy of the extended Bask House. to the front was to be a planetarium to mirror the Hall of Memory.

To finish the square off, a huge Town Hall style building was to be built. This building would run "behind" the rear of the 2 Baskerville Houses.

The square was to have some sort of Nelsons Column type structure in the middle (I couldn't tell from the model what the statue was meant to be)

It looked absolutely amazing. It would have been a truly breathtaking square which would have easilly rivalled Trafalgar in London, or any other Sqaure in the World.

According to the literature around the model, it was deemed too expensive, So we got the municipal bank, Hall of Memory, The front half of Baskerville House and nothing more.

Shame.

well according to some research i did after i too also saw this model, i discovered that it wasnt so much as it was too expensive, but more to do with the fact that war broke out, and all the money was put toward the war effort....

[Biosonic]

A bit of old Brum that still exists ... thanks Bio for the directions, well at least the sign is still there.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/cargohold/Cattle-walk.jpg

Thank you CH - I hope this remains when the area gets redeveloped.

A little bit of history :)

[Engels]

well according to some research i did after i too also saw this model, i discovered that it wasnt so much as it was too expensive, but more to do with the fact that war broke out, and all the money was put toward the war effort....

Yes i think it was kinda both though. Lets be honest as much as we would all like to have seen it built we should understand the priorities at the time were not a huge civic centre but rehousing a bombed out populace and tearing down prewar slums. It was the war and the post war rationing/austerity/socialism that probably led to the march of modernism that rather Bruitilised our city.